*Chapter 3: The Rumors*

Emilia woke up to the sound of her mom making breakfast in the kitchen. She stretched her arms and yawned, feeling a sense of excitement wash over her. It was Friday, and she had plans to hang out with Sarah after school.

As she got dressed and ready for school, Emilia couldn't help but think about the mysterious new student from her math class. She had been having strange dreams about him all night, and she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something special about him.

But as she walked to school, Emilia's mind was distracted by the rumors that had been circulating around town. People were talking about strange sightings and encounters with... werewolves.

At first, Emilia had dismissed the rumors as small-town gossip. But as the stories continued to pile up, she couldn't help but wonder if there was some truth to them.

As she walked into school, Emilia was greeted by the usual chatter and laughter of her classmates. But today, there was an undercurrent of excitement and fear.

"Did you hear about the Johnson's farm?" one of her classmates asked, as Emilia walked by.

Emilia shook her head, curiosity getting the better of her.

"What about it?" Emilia asked.

"They found one of their sheep dead, with strange bite marks all over it," her classmate replied, eyes wide with excitement.

Emilia felt a shiver run down her spine. That did sound strange.

As she made her way to her locker, Emilia couldn't help but wonder if the rumors were true. Were there really werewolves living in their town?

She spun the dial on her locker and opened the door, pulling out her books for her first class. As she closed the door, she noticed a piece of paper taped to it.

Emilia pulled off the tape and examined the paper. It was a crude drawing of a wolf, with the words "They're coming" scrawled underneath.

Emilia felt a chill run down her spine. Who had drawn this, and what did they mean?

As she walked to her first class, Emilia couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The rumors, the strange drawing... it all seemed too coincidental.

But as she took her seat in class, Emilia pushed the thoughts aside. She had more important things to worry about, like her math test tomorrow.

As the day went on, Emilia tried to focus on her schoolwork. But she couldn't shake the feeling that something was lurking just beneath the surface, waiting to pounce.

And as she walked home from school, Emilia caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye. A flash of fur, a glimpse of teeth.

Emilia spun around, but there was nothing there. She must have imagined it.

But as she continued walking home, Emilia couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. And this time, she knew she wasn't imagining things.

As Emilia walked home from school, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. She kept looking over her shoulder, expecting to see something lurking in the shadows.

But every time she turned around, there was nothing there.

Emilia sighed, feeling a little silly. She was probably just spooked from the rumors and the strange drawing on her locker.

As she turned the corner onto her street, Emilia saw her mom waiting for her on the front porch.

"Hey sweetie, how was your day?" her mom asked, as Emilia walked up the steps.

Emilia shrugged.

"It was fine, I guess," Emilia said. "Just a lot of weird rumors going around."

Her mom raised an eyebrow.

"What kind of rumors?" she asked.

Emilia hesitated, wondering if she should bring it up.

"Just stuff about werewolves," Emilia said finally.

Her mom laughed.

"Oh, that's just small-town gossip," she said. "Don't pay any attention to it."

Emilia nodded, feeling a little better.

But as she went inside and started her homework, Emilia couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. She kept hearing strange noises outside, and she could have sworn she saw something moving out of the corner of her eye.

As the night wore on, Emilia's anxiety grew. She tried to focus on her homework, but she couldn't concentrate.

Finally, she decided to take a break and go for a walk. Maybe some fresh air would clear her head.

As she walked out the door, Emilia felt a sense of relief wash over her. The night air was cool and calm, and the stars were shining brightly overhead.

But as she walked down the street, Emilia started to feel a sense of unease. The shadows seemed to be moving and twisting around her, and she could have sworn she heard footsteps behind her.

Emilia spun around, but there was no one there.

She took a deep breath and continued walking, trying to shake off the feeling of unease.

But as she turned the corner onto the next street, Emilia saw something that made her blood run cold.

A figure was standing in the shadows, watching her.

Emilia froze, her heart pounding in her chest.

And then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the figure vanished.

Emilia took a deep breath and continued walking, trying to shake off the feeling of fear.

But as she walked back home, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched.

And this time, she knew she wasn't imagining things.